From: Christianity Today, APRIL 26, 2017
For the First Time, Russia Ranked Among Worst Violators of Religious Freedom
USCIRF annual report expands countries of particular concern.
Russia’s ongoing crackdown on religious minorities, foreign missionaries, and evangelists has earned it a spot among the worst countries in the world for religious freedom.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which flags religious freedom violators for the State Department, listed the former Soviet state among six new Tier 1 “countries of particular concern” (CPC) in its latest annual report, released Wednesday.
It is the first time in the commission’s almost 20-year history that Russia has made the list. A total of 16 countries currently hold the CPC designation, and another dozen are being reviewed as Tier 2.
Russia is the only country whose repression of religious freedom has both intensified and expanded into a neighboring state by means of military occupation since USCIRF began monitoring it….
Last week, Russia’s Supreme Court officially banned Jehovah’s Witnesses nationwide….
Additionally, the commission wants to see more pressure put on Russian officials over repressive application of other laws, including its “foreign agents” law—which restricts missionary activity—and a 2016 anti-evangelism regulation (known as the “Yarovaya law”)—which keeps non-Orthodox Russians from sharing their faith outside official church buildings.
Russian evangelicals, who make up less than 1 percent of the population, continue to push back against the restrictions, which have resulted in arrests, fines, and confiscated materials for Protestants found guilty. They have risked punishment to continue to spread the gospel.
“They say, ‘If it will come to it, it’s not going to stop us from worshiping and sharing our faith,’” Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia and a former Moscow church planter, told CT last year. “The Great Commission isn’t just for a time of freedom.”
Jim Rizoli
Hard to believe they are backing up the Holohoax lie like they are, which in turn supports the Jews.
I can understand it though because they are a big part of the hoax, and they can’t undermine their involvement with the Jews in covering the truth up.
All roads lead to the Soviets because they were the ones to get the camps they took over to look like Horror Disneyland camps. Once the story was set up the Allies ran with it, and of course the Jews laugh all the way to the bank.
JR
Victoria Bingham
Jeff, I’m very sorry to see you buying into the incessant drumbeat of the globalist community which is trying on many fronts to destroy Russia, to destroy her reputation, and make it easier for Americans to accept what the end game is, war. Russia is more ‘Christian’ today than the USA is, but she’s being targeted with what Paul called ‘False Accusation’ – the very character of this age (II Timothy 3:3) The lies about Russia are from the beast himself. Revelation 13 informs us that he is a maker of war. The agenda of the globalists is to pull both sides of the globe into the last and final war on earth – to end life as we know it. It’s a terrible shame how Christians and especially teachers like you, are drinking the Koolaide and perpetuating the myths. Christianity Today is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Their whole reason for being is to fool Christians into accepting the roads to war. Your quoted article is a sham and it’s a shame you are publishing it.
V Christine Bingham
Jim Rizoli
You might be right about that but the problem I have is the fact that they are Banning Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I find it interesting that they ban Jehovah’s Witnesses that stick up for the Jews.
JR
Jeff Fenske
V,
My quoted article is 100% true. All you’re doing today here and on Facebook is name calling, which is unchristian.
Also, Russia is Orthodox, a church that mainly relies on rituals, instead of being led by the Holy Spirit, which is real Christianity. Neither the US or Russia are Christian nations in God’s eyes.
Fact: Putin is turning Russia back into a police state, destroying their constitution:
Yarovaya Law: Death Of The Russian Constitution – Criminal: to not snitch • proselytizing, preaching, praying, or disseminating religious materials outside of “specially designated places” • Children can be imprisoned • Telecoms must break encrypted messages
I’m telling the truth, warning the people that Russia shouldn’t be trusted, as they prepare to destroy US in the years to come, which they’ve been building up to continually, being shielded by the Talmudic press. I’ve reported this since the mid-90s. Nothing has changed.
Putin is also banning free speech of non-sanctioned news sources in Russia.
Many of his opponents have mysteriously died. Putin isn’t a Christian.
I appreciate what Russia has done in Syria, and have reported on that extensively.
I also have posted the truth about the liberals’ lies about Russia hacking our election.
I’m interested in the truth whatever it is. This article is truth, not a “myth” or a “shame,” like you just say without any facts. I researched this subject further and posted these articles now in response to your attack on Facebook.
Putin worship is the great deception, drinking the Koolaid. No one should trust him. He’s KJB. What Putin is doing to his own people is proof.
If Trump destroyed our Constitution like Putin is Russia’s, we’d all be freaked.
Put yourself in the Russians’ shoes as their rights are destroyed, and evangelicals there are afraid.
Jim Rizoli
Correction on what I said…. they are Banning Jehovah’s Witnesses yet they protect the Jews and their Holohoax story.
If you believe the Holohoax story than you’re just as bad as everyone else and your Bible preaching means absolutely nothing…..
You might want to read the ninth commandment.
JR
Jeff Fenske
Putin is protecting the Talmudists, the ‘leaven’ that Jesus warned about. It’s now against the law to tell the truth about what the Bible really says:
Putin Initiates Law Against Anti-Semitic Biblical Interpretation
Russian President Vladimir Putin has initiated legislation through the Duma outlawing “distorted and or extremist” interpretation of the Bible.
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar says the law is vital….
False stories based on Biblical misinterpretation have been used for centuries to fan virulent anti-Semitism. Accusations of Jewish plots to control the world, Blood Libels, dual loyalties and controlling the media are just a few. The purpose of this law is to prevent using the Bible for such purposes. …
Jeff Fenske
Putin is not just banning real German history truth in Russia, but citizen bloggers telling the truth about Putin and the government.
We would be furious if Trump did this to US, but many truthers think Putin is our savior instead.
They’re not looking at the facts of what he’s really doing to his own people.
“Putin also signed a law imposing stricter rules on bloggers, which opponents say is aimed at suppressing criticism on the Internet.”
PUTIN: HOLOCAUST TRUTHERS in Russia Now Face 5 YEARS in PRISON — Law also practically BANS CRITICISM OF STALIN • Putin also signed law imposing STRICTER RULES ON BLOGGERS